Swirling like liquid glass (Simile)
The current described in the simile represents George's tribulations, and he thinks the best way to end his suffering is to be swallowed by the sliding water. The narrator says, "The current eddied and swirled like liquid glass, and occasionally a bit of ice, detached from the shore, would slide downstream to be swallowed up in the shadows under the bridge." The simile is important because it compares George's troubles to the water current that eddies like a glass. Despite being Christmas day, George has nothing to be proud of and what he sees is despair.
The water looked paralyzing cold (Metaphor)
The narrator uses the metaphor of the water being a paralyzing cold to illustrate George's second thoughts about what he wants to do. George wants to end his life, and the best way to do it is to jump into the river from the bridge. However, he questions how long it will take him to die in that cold water. Interestingly, George doubts how long it will take him to die, which gives him more time to interact with a stranger who saves his life.
A white Christmas (Metaphor)
The narrator uses the metaphor of the white Christmas to represent the gift of life that George is taking for granted. The little man says, "It'll be nice to have a white Christmas. They are getting scarce these days – but so are many things." George thinks his life is useless because nothing seems to work for him. However, he is making a huge mistake because there is no second chance of living after one dies. George later understands the meaning of the white Christmas when he rejoins his family and bonds with them more than ever.
